Cartridge retaining device for lipless magazines



% Feb. 22, 1966 F. P. REED CARTRIDGE RETAINING DEVICE FOR LIPLESS MAGAZINES Filed Sept. 23, 1964 INVENTOR F1; Hand E REBEL I I ,2 We. iii;

ATTORNEYS 3,235,995 CARTRIDGE RETAINING DEVICE FOR LIPLESS MAGAZINES Frederick P. Reed, Ludlow, Mass., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Sept. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 398,813

3 Claims. (CI. 4250) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to firearms and pertains more particularly to cartridge magazines therefor.

In conventional firearms, especially those of shoulder arm type, the cartridges are supplied by a magazine provided with lips on opposite sides of the feed opening to retain a stack of the cartridges within the magazine against the pressure of the magazine spring both when the magazine is in or out of the firearm. In the arsenal of modern weapons, firearms are being developed which require that the cartridges in the magazine move freely in a radial direction from the magazine to the feeding position, rather than stripped longitudinally therefrom, with gun structure holding the cartridges against remature displacement from the magazine. Because of this radial feed and the requirement for free movement from the magazine, lips cannot be provided to hold the cartridges against radial displacement. Consequently, other means have to be provided for holding the cartridges in the magazine when out of the firearm and for releasing the cartridges after the magazine is installed therein. To accomplish this, devices have been added to the magazine structure which to date are overly complicated and costly for an expendable item.

It is, therefore, the object of this invention to provide for lipless magazines a simple and inexpensive cartridge retaining means for holding the cartridges in a magazine when out of a firearm and for easily releasing the cartridges after the magazine is installed therein.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide for such a magazine a cartridge holding device which consists of a cord or tape that loops over the leading cartridge to hold the stack of cartridges in the magazine and which is severable or disconnectable, when pulled, to release the cartridges.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a magazine showing the stack of cartridges retained therein;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top view of the rear section of the magazine;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the cord severed and the cartridges released.

Shown in the figures is a magazine 12 having a case 14 which holds a stack of cartridges 16 biased toward the open feed end thereof by a spring 18. Cartridges 16 are respectively provided with an extractor groove 20 and a channel 22 is formed inside of both sides of case 14 so as to be slidingly received by extractor grooves 20 of cartridges 16 therein to guide the cartridges toward the feed opening and hold the cartridges against angular displacement.

One end of a cord 24 extends outwardly from case 14 through a hole 26 in one of the channels 22 and a knot 28 is formed in the outwardly extending end for anchoring such end to the case when the opposite end is pulled. Knot 28, of course, must be larger than hole 26 to prevent passage therethrough and such hole is provided with a cutting edge 30 which severs cord 24 when pulled thereagainst. Cord 24 extends upwardly in the respective channel 22, loops over the leading one of the cartridges 16 in extractor groove 20 thereof, and then passes downwardly in the opposite one of the channels. The free end of cord 24 extends out of case 14 through the bottom end thereof, noted at 32. Attached to the free end of the cord 24 is a ring 36 which is so spaced from knot 28 along the length of the cord that, when ring 36 is in contact with bottom end 32, loop 38 formed thereby holds the cartridges in case 14. When ring 36 is pulled, cord 24 is tightened against cutting edge 30 to cause severance of the cord and, consequently, release of cartridges 16.

Thus, cartridges 16 are held by cord 24 in case 14 when magazine 12 is in storage or is being handled and the cartridges are released after installation of magazine 12 by pulling on ring 36 which causes severance of the cord by cutting edge 30. Extractor groove 20 of the leading cartridge 16 provides both a guide and a bearing for cord 24 when pulled. If found more advantageous, cord 24 may be replaced by a tape or strip which is easily severable or disconnectable and cutting edge 30 may be replaced by any other severing or releasing means.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised within the spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended to include such variations.

I claim:

1. A firearm magazine for cartridges including a case for holding a stack of the cartridges, an extractor groove in each of the cartridges, a spring for biasing the stack of cartridges towards an open feed end of said case, a cord extending around the one of the cartridges at the open feed end of said case to retain the stack of cartridges therein, means in said case for severing said cord, an inner channel respectively formed in opposite sides of said case in registry with the extractor grooves in the cartridges therein for slidingly accommodating said cord, and means in said case for forming a loop of said cord located so as to be received by the extractor groove in the one of the cartridges at the open feed end of said case.

2. The magazine as defined in claim 1 wherein said loop forming means includes a hole extending outwardly through one of said channels for outward extension of one end of said cord therethrough, a knot formed in the outwardly extending end of said cord larger than said hole for anchoring said one end to said case, and an opening in the bottom end of the other one of said channels opposite said open feed end of said case for extension of the free end of said cord from said case, and wherein said severing means is a cutting edge formed around said hole.

3. The magazine as defined in claim 2 and including a ring attached to the free end of said cord outside of said case, said ring being attached to said cord respective to said knot so that when said ring is in contact with said bottom end of said other channel said loop retains the stack of said cartridges in said case, and said ring providing means for pulling said cord against said cutting edge for severance of said cord.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 693,105 2/1902 Burgess 427 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner, 

1. A FIREARM MAGAZINE FOR CARTRIDGES INCLUDING A CASE FOR HOLDING A STACK OF THE CARTRIDGES, AN EXTRACTOR GROOVE IN EACH OF THE CARTRIDGES, A SPRING FOR BIASING THE STACK OF CARTRIDGES TOWARDS AN OPEN FEED END OF SAID CASE, A CORD EXTENDING AROUND THE ONE OF THE CARTRIDGES AT THE OPEN FEED END OF SAID CASE TO RETAIN THE STACK OF CARTRIDGES THEREIN, MEANS IN SAID CASE FOR SEVERING SAID CORD, AN INNER CHANNEL RESPECTIVELY FORMED IN OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CASE IN REGISTRY WITH THE EXTRACTOR GROOVES IN THE CAR- 